@article{gookin_strong_bruno-barcena_stauffer_williams_wassack_azcarate-peril_estrada_seguin_balzer_et al._2022, title={Randomized placebo-controlled trial of feline-origin Enterococcus hirae probiotic effects on preventative health and fecal microbiota composition of fostered shelter kittens}, volume={9}, ISSN={["2297-1769"]}, url={https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2022.923792}, DOI={10.3389/fvets.2022.923792}, abstractNote={IntroductionDiarrhea is the second most common cause of mortality in shelter kittens. Studies examining prevention strategies in this population are lacking. Probiotics are of particular interest but studies in cats are largely limited to healthy adults or those with induced disease. Only one study in domestic cats describes the use of host-derived bacteria as a probiotic. We previously identified Enterococcus hirae as a dominant species colonizing the small intestinal mucosa in healthy shelter kittens. Oral administration of a probiotic formulation of kitten-origin E. hirae (strain 1002-2) mitigated the increase in intestinal permeability and fecal water loss resulting from experimental enteropathogenic E. coli infection in purpose-bred kittens. Based on these findings, we hypothesized that administration of kitten-origin E. hirae to weaned fostered shelter kittens could provide a measurable preventative health benefit.}, journal={FRONTIERS IN VETERINARY SCIENCE}, author={Gookin, Jody L. L. and Strong, Sandra J. J. and Bruno-Barcena, Jose M. and Stauffer, Stephen H. H. and Williams, Shelby and Wassack, Erica and Azcarate-Peril, M. Andrea and Estrada, Marko and Seguin, Alexis and Balzer, Joerg and et al.}, year={2022}, month={Nov} }